Locking of stereoplates or printing surfaces to the cylinders of rotary printing machines



R. BRADSHAW arch 12, 1935.-

1,994,384 LOCKING OF STEREOPLATES OR PRINTING SURFACES TO THE CYLINDERS OF ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES' 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 193

March 12, 1935. BRADSHAW 1,994,384

LOCKING OF STEREOPLATES OR PRINTINGSURFACES TO THE CYLINDERS OF ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 27. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 was E g! H H 1| m m l ii... 455%. mmrm LIIIIIIIIIII llvillllllrl 8 8 I I l E -ITFE ISA March 12, 1935. R BRADSHAW 1,994,384

LOCKING OF STEREOPLATES OR PRINTING SURFACES TO THE CYLINDERS OF ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 27. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 12, 1935 tooKrNo or STEREOPLATES-VOR PRINTING snnraoas TO THE CYLINDERS or norms-r PRINTING MACHINES.

Robert Bradshaw, Preston, England Application March 27.1934, Serial No. 717,670" In Great Britain October 16, 1933 9 Claims. (01. 101-378) This invention relates to improved means for locking stereoplates or printing surfaces to the v cylinders of rotary printing machines.

Locking arrangementsfor the above purpose plate on a printing cylinder can be adjusted lon,--

gitudinally. and peripherally on'the cylinder. 1 1' According to the invention the usual fixed centre margin ring. is adjustable and is formed in two parts each part carrying clampingjaws .to

engage the stereoplates. r a

The clamping jaws on these two rings are interspaced and one ring is controlled from one end of the cylinder :by. meansof screwed rods connected by gears'while theother ring is controlled from the opposite end of the cylinder by similarrmechanism. The arrangementis such 25 that the jaws on. one ring move between the jaws on the other ring so that the space required is very little more than is necessary for the usual fixed margin ring- This adjustable centre margin ring provides a means of adjustment for 30 longitudinal register. of the inner plates; The outer plates are registered longitudinally by means of the outside clogs. carried on screwed sleeves geared together and operated in the known manner. Each set of 'innerand outer plates is locked by means of an expanding ring made in twoparts coupled'together by ringexpanding screws operated by spindles passing out to the end of the cylinder as hereinafter-described. Each part of the ringcarries clamping as in the case of scribed;

The adjustment of the stereoplates in a peripheral direction is effected by means of bolts having tommy heads mounted in bars fixed to the surface of the printing cylinder.

the centre ring previously de To enable the invention to be fully understood jaws, the jaws being interspaoedv and, arranged of portions of the cylinder showing the lock-u mechanism and details of its operation;

Inthe drawings the invention is shown as applied to a printing cylinder which is four plates wide and two plates round. Eachset of lock-up mechanism comprises two plates so that there are four sets of lock-up mechanism per cylinder.

Since the lock-up mechanismris similar for eachpair of plates only the mechanism forione pair of plates shown on the righthand side of Fig. 2 will be described.

Theprinting cylinder 7 is grooved peripherally at 8, 9, 10' to receive the lockingring 11, the centre margin ring 12and the lockingring 13 respectively. Each ring is formed in two parts, each part'carrying clampingteeth 14 for engagtheopposite end. Each ring a, b, is controlled fromthe appropriate end of the cylinder by several spindles 15, the spindles being geared together on the cylinder end by wheels 16 and intermediate wheels, one of the spindles having a squared end 17 for an operating spanne -(Fig.4).- I i 7 Each locking ring comprises the two parts d, and these two parts are adapted tobe moved apart to lock the plates by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

This mechanism comprises screws 18 each having a squared pocket 19 with which the squared end of'a spindle 20 engages. The spindles 20 pass through-sleeves 21 which are externally threaded and carry dogs 22 for the outer plates. The spindles are geared together by wheels 23 and .the .sleeves'bywheels 24 and intermediate wheels mounted on .the. cylinder end. One spindle has a squared end 25 and one of the intermediate wheels 26 (Fig. 3) a squared end 27, for operation by a key or spanner.

By'operating the sleeves 21, the dogs 22 are adjusted to register the outer plate and by operating the spindles 20 the rings 0, d are forced apart to lock up the adjacent plates The rings are held against the cylinder by keepers 28, so that they can be adjusted longitudinally but cannot lift from the body of the cylinder.

The lock-up arrangement shown in Fig. is suitable for use with stereoplates of fixed width. In Fig. 6 a modified arrangement is shown which cylinder and the control of the other ring part enables a column change to be made in the width of the plates.

In this arrangement the ring-expanding screw 29 has a squared portion 30 which is engaged by a squared pocket in a sleeve 31 mounted on the spindle 32. The sleeve 31 is operated by means of a cotter 33 on spindle 32 engaging a. slot 34 in the sleeve. A removable ring 35 of column width is fitted to the cylinder adjacent to the ring 0 a recess 36 being formed beneath same to receive the screw 29. lifted out and the rings 0, d can be shifted by hand across the cylinder to replace the ring 35, the latter then being inserted into the cylinder on the right hand side of the ring d. The slotted. connection of the spindle and sleeve enables the rings 0, d to be controlled as before but in the new position.

The plates are adjusted in the peripheral direction by means of screws 37 carried in bars 38 secured to the cylinder and having tommy heads Such adof two plates, means to adjust the relative positions of said ring parts, the control of one ring part being effected from'one end of the printing from the opposite end of the cylinder.

2. Means for locking stereo-plates-to a printing cylinder according to claim 1 in which the dogs on the two parts of the centre margin ringare interspaced and move one between the other.

3. Means for locking stereoplates to a printing cylinder comprising locking elements at the side: margins of the cylinder, means for controlling.

cylinder by means of screwed spindles geared tca gether, the end of one of the spindles being shaped to receive a key whereby it maybe. turned. 4. Means for locking stereoplates to a. printing cylinder comprising a central margin locking ring formed in two parts, dogs ca-rried'by each part for clamping the' adjacent edges of two plates, spindles operated fromopposite endssoi the cylinder for controlling each of said ring parts and geared together at their respective: ends of the cylinder for operation by a spanner or key, sleeves mounted on said. spindles and carrying dogs for locking the'outside edges-of This ring 35 can be the plates, said sleeves being also geared together, and intermediate gears between the spindle and sleeve gearing where necessary.

5. Means for locking stereoplates to a printing cylinder comprising in combination locking elements at the side margins of the cylinder, means for controlling said locking elements, a central 7 margin ring-formed in two parts, dogs carried by each ring part for clamping the adjacent edges of the two plates, sleeves connected to each part bemoved to either side of the central two part margin ring by altering the position of the cotters in the slots of the sleeves. 6. Means for'locking stereoplates to a printing cylinder comprising in combination locking elements at the side margins of the cylinder, means for controlling said locking elements, a central margin ringformecl in two parts, dogs carried by each ring part for clamping the adjacent edges 7 of two plates, means to adjust the'relative positions of said ring parts, each part being con-' trolled from opposite/ends, bars being also fitted to the cylinder to carry bolts or screws having tommy heads by which the stereoplates may be adjusted in a peripheral direction, 7

7. Means for locking the stereoplates to a two plate wide printing cylinder comprisingin combination a centraltwopart margin ring arranged between the plates, means at the" opposite ends of the cylinder for controlling said ring parts, and dogs for holding the outer edges of the plates at carried by threaded spindles connected at the ends of the cylinder with trains of gears, one or the spindles of each plate being shaped for op:

eration by a' key,

8. Means for locking stereoplates one four plate wide printing cylinder comprising in com-f bination a central: margin ring formed in two parts and arranged between the two inner plates;

dogs on each part of the margin ring, two-part rings arranged between the outer and inner plates, dogs on each ring part, lockingelements, at each side margin of the cylinder adapted to" engage the outer plates, spindlescontrolled from opposite ends of the. cylinder for operating each ring part of the two-part rings and ofthe ceninterconnecting the spindles and the sleeves;-

9. Means for locking stereoplates on' a four plate wide cylinder according to claim 8 wherein the dogs on the central margin ring and the two- "part rings arranged between the inner and outer" plates are interspaced and move one between the other.

ROBERT BRADSHAW. f. 

